The Effects of Jello
by Louvampyer
Summary: Just something that came to me while eating Jello... Rent fic... Mark and Roger... Not slash yet, but could easlily be... Okay, so it is slash now.. MR Sorry for the delay, but chapter 4 and 5 up! COMPLETED... I think... Epilogue added by demand
1. Jello fight

I don't really own anything in this story… Would really love to though… This may become slash, not sure yet…

VAVAVAVAVAV

Mark sat on the sofa, upside down, thinking of ways to make money. Roger needed AZT, Mark needed film, and they both needed food. Roger walked into the loft and rolled his eyes at Mark. "You know, all the blood is gonna run to your head and it will explode. And I don't want to have to clean it up, so sit right."

Mark slid off the sofa, so that he was now lying on the floor. "Better mom?"

"Yes dear." Roger set a few bags on the table and Mark got up to inspect the contents. "Now, go do your homework and go to bed so that your father and I can have fun when he gets home from work."

"I'm going to advise that you never have children Roger." He shuffled through the bags, amazingly finding them full of food. "Roger, where did you get this?"

"Well, I cleaned my room."

"And what, you just found it?"

"No, I found some... money."

"And why did you have money hiding in your room?"

"Well, not money exactly money, but money makers." Roger smiled, trying to make light of the conversation.

Mark wasn't buying it. "What kind of money makers."

"Well, I found my old stash…" He looked down at the floor, obviously ashamed.

"I'm proud of you."

"For what?"

"Getting rid of it, not using it, and getting me something edible, that's not green." He pulled a bag chips from a bag.

Roger laughed and pulled out some jello. "We have green too."

Mark pulled some chips from the bag. "You know, I've had enough experience with bad food that I think I'll just pass."

Roger pulled the lid off a jello and slid nearly the whole thing in his mouth. "Suit yourself!"

Mark rolled his eyes. "That's gross Roger."

All this tempted him to do was stick out his tongue, green and gooey. "You know you love it!"

"Seriously Roger, that's gross." He threw a chip at him, but it missed by about fifty feet. But it was close enough to prompt Roger to open another jello and flick bits of it at Mark, followed by more chip throwing. Mark lifted his hand to get Roger to stop once they were both either gooey or… kind of covered in chips. "You know, we are just wasting food."

"You started it."

"And you sound like a four year old."

"_You sound like a four year old."_

"Really Roger? Gonna play that game?"

"You just don't want to play cause you know I would beat you."

"Wow, you've seen right through me." Mark took off his jello covered shirt and looked at it. "I need to wash this before it stains." He began walking to the bathroom, but was nailed in the back by a wad of green jello. "Roger! Are you kidding me?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"It was a joke that I made up."

"Grow up."

"_You grow up."_

Mark rolled his eyes again. The second Roger turned away, he peeled the jello off his shirt and threw it at Rogers head. "Yes! I finally hit you!"

"Way to get into the game Mark." Roger tossed Mark another jar of Jello, taking one for himself too. They both opened them. "You ready?"

"Uhh, okay." He took a wad of Jello in his hands. "Ready."

Roger did the same. "1… 2…" Before saying three, a wad of Jello hit him in the chest. "Hey! That's cheating!"

A Jello fight went on for the next ten minutes, only to be stopped when Angel and Mimi walked in.

"What the hell are we walking in on?" Mimi's hands went to her hips. Roger dropped the cup and swooped Mimi in his arms, and for a reason Mark could not understand, he felt a pang of jealousy. Mimi screamed at the Jello that was now covering her.

Mark smiled and held his arms up to Angel jokingly. "Maybe later honey." She winked at him, and he put his arms down, blush rising in his cheeks.

He suddenly remembered that he was half naked. "Umm… I'm gonna go change." He ran off to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. What the hell was that? Since when was he jealous of Roger? Or Mimi and Roger for that fact? But was it Roger he was jealous of? Because that would mean that he wanted Mimi, and he just didn't. He wanted Roger… No! He didn't want Roger! Roger was his best friend, that's it!

Mark started the shower and let the cool water was off the Jello and feelings he felt.

VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV

Roger set Mimi down. "God Roger. Look at all the food you wasted! And the mess you made."

"You sound like Mark." It was Rogers turn to roll his eyes.

"Well then for once Mark is being very wise." Mimi took a cloth and began wiping up Jello from the floor. "God Roger, look at this mess!"

"Leave it be. I'll get cleaned up and then I'll clean it up." He made his way to the bathroom, mentally yelling at Mimi. God, what did she care? She didn't even live there. Roger stopped in his tracks. Where did that come from? Since when did Mimi get on his nerve so much? He shook his head and continued to the bathroom.

VAVAVAVAVAVAVAV

Mark stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, luckily just before the door opened. "Hey, I'm in here!" But the door was pushed open and Roger walked in. "HEY! Don't I get any privacy!"

Roger closed the door behind him and looked in the mirror. "Not really. And besides, I've seen you naked before."

"Ya, and we were like four… And it was just different."

"So? How much could have changed?" Roger took a cloth and began washing his face. "Mimi's really pissed about the mess we made."

"What's her problem? She doesn't even live here."

Roger looked a Mark, his eyes going wide. "That's _exactly_ what I was thinking! Huh?"

"Huh what?"

"We just don't usually think about things in the same way."

"Okay, can I get dressed now?" Mark put a hand on his towel uncomfortably.

"Be my guest."

"With you in another room maybe?"

"Gotchya." Roger opened the door and walked back out into the living room, yelling over his shoulder. "Let me know if you need any help!"

VAVAVAVAVAVAV

Mark was lying on the couch again, not really doing anything, looking at the ceiling mostly, when Roger walked out of his room and to the couch. "Why are you on the couch so much recently?"

"What else is there to do?"

"Take an inspirational walk and film the native life?"

"New York has no native life Roger. We killed off all of them years ago."

"God you're depressing." He pushed Mark's feet. "Move. I'll sulk with you."

"Really, I'm good." Mark stayed where he was.

Roger pushed his feet again, but with no luck. "If you don't move your feet now, I'll just sit on you." And so he did.

Mark doubled up from all the new weight added to his legs. "God Roger, how much do you weigh?"

"Obviously enough that when I threaten to sit on you, you should move, right?"

"Well, can you get up?"

"No. I told you, and you didn't move, so I'll just sit here." When Mark started moving his legs, attempting to get free, Roger pressed his weight down. And with further movement from Mark, he leaned over him, staying on his legs, and began tickling him. Mark jolted forward, accidentally catching Rogers lips in a kiss.


	2. But It's Mark

Again, I own nothing… And, okay, it is slash… I didn't feel like getting into all the feeling parts of it, so I skipped it… You've all read it tons of times…

VAVAVAVAVAVA

Roger pulled back and stood up quickly, bringing a finger to his lips and staring quizzically at Mark, not speaking.

Mark stood up to, his eyes going wide. It really was an accident, not that he hadn't wanted it to happen lately. He really did in fact, but that was beside the point. "I'm sorry." He didn't want Roger to flip out. "It really was an accident!"

Roger looked at the floor for a moment, and walk heavily to the door, slamming it shut behind him. Each stair pounded under his feet as he took them three by three. Roger stood outside the building. "What the hell was that?" He asked to no one at all.

"What was what?" Roger spun around when someone answered his question, to stand facing Angel. She was dressed in her street clothes, jeans and at the moment, one of Collins flannel shirts.

"Ohh, nothing Ang. Just some stuff with me and Mark."

She set her 'drum' on the ground and sat on it, looking up at Roger. "What kind of stuff?"

"Just stuff." If he couldn't talk to Angel, there was no use. Angel was the easiest person in the world to talk to. "Nothing big."

"It doesn't sound like nothing big." She stood back up. "What's up?"

"Really, it's nothing Angel."

"Fine, I'll go talk to Mark. He's much easier to get to talk." She picked up her pickle barrel and made a show of walking to the door.

The only reason Roger stopped her was because he knew how right she was. Mark would tell her everything, and more. "Fine. Me and Mark kind of just…" He watched her eyes go wide. "Kissed. Just a little."

She rolled her eyes. "Is that all?"

"What are you talking about!"

Angel put a hand on Roger's shoulder. "You two are clearly meant to be a couple."

"What?" Roger asked stupidly.

"Ya. Collins and I talk about it all the time. It's just so obvious!"

"What?" Roger repeated stupidly.

"You both look at each other all the time, and I'm sorry, but not even brothers are that close."

"What?" You get the idea.

"Well, are you telling me you never thought about it?" She raised her eyebrows in an 'I know everything' kind of way.

"No! Well, not really. Not a lot… Maybe a little, sometimes… But it's Mark!"

She squeezed Roger's shoulder softly. "I think that's the point honey." With one last wink, Angel turned and walked away.

Roger's head sunk back into his chest for a moment before he looked down at his watch. He wanted to see Mimi, but she was at work for the next few hours. So with a sigh, he went back up to the Loft.

VAVAVAVAVAVAVAV

Mark took to pacing the apartment floor, the ground creaking with each step. What had he done? He may have just ruined everything. The door slowly opened and Roger walked in, closing it just as slowly behind him. With one look at Mark, Roger turned around and faced the door.

"Look Roger, I'm really sorry."

Roger's hand hovered over the door knob, but instead of opening it and walking out, he locked the door and turned back to Mark, whose eyes were focused on the now locked door behind Roger. "Umm, Roger?" Roger took a few slow steps closer to him. "Roger? You don't have to do this." But Roger kept walking closer to him, slowly at first. He took Marks hand, which was shaking, and interlaced their fingers. He leaned in and kissed Mark softly.

Mark was so taken aback, he forgot to return the kiss, which prompted Roger to drop his hand and pull back. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" But this time, Mark cut off Roger by grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him in for a deeper kiss. With their arms and mouths now intertwined, Roger slowly pulled Mark over to the couch.


	3. am I?

Mark sat on the edge of Roger's bed, watching him sleep. It had been four months since the jello fiasco, and here they were, in the same bed, everyday, well, every day that Mimi was working. It was amazing, and so incredibly annoying.

He didn't like to have to not lay with Roger, just because Mimi was coming home. He had to get up and shower and change and look occupied in another room while Roger slept, or went to watch Mimi. But when it was the two of them, it was great. Roger was so different, sweet even. He had never pictured Roger being a gentle person, but he was. Mark stood up and kissed Roger on the forehead before walking to the bathroom. He turned the shower on, letting the doubts wash off him with the water.

By the time he was dressed and out, Mimi was standing in the kitchen with a bag in her hands, and Roger was sitting dressed on the arm of the couch. Mark ran a hand through his still wet hair. "You're gonna break our only couch. Get off the arm."

He sat at the table and picked up his camera as Roger stood up, smiling slowly as he came and sat at the table, opposite Mark, with Mimi between them. Mark looked up to her, not wanting to look at Roger at the moment. "What do you have in the bag?"

Mimi set the bag on the table. "A very little amount of food. I got a good tip and figured you guys could use it."

"What did you get?"

"Stuff. Ohh, and since you seemed to enjoy it so much last time, I got you guys jello." Mimi smiled, thinking she had done something nice for them. Roger's face went blank, as did Mark's, and when they turned and looked at each other, they both broke into laughing fits. "What?" Mimi's face dropped. "I was trying to help you guys out, but if you don't want it, I'll take it home."

She grabbed the jello and started for the door, but Roger jumped up and stopped her, taking the jello from her hand. "No babe, it's great." He gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "Thanks. I'll see you after work okay?"

She smiled. "Okay."

Mark rolled his eyes. "Hey Mimi, what time do you work till?" Hint hint.

She looked down at her watch. "Well, once I get there, I have a five hour shift, so the sooner I get there, the sooner I get back. So I'll see you two later." She smiled and kissed Roger before walking out the door.

Roger smiled and held up the package in his hand. "Aww! She bought us jello!"

Mark rolled his eyes yet again. "Yeah, she's sweet."

Roger sat back down across from him. "What's wrong?"

Mark looked to him. "I'm sick of it."

"Of what?"

"I don't know." Mark stood up, walking to the other side of the apartment. "Hiding I guess?" He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. "It's just hard, you know?"

Roger got up and walked to Mark. He tried to place a comforting hand on Marks shoulder, only to have it swatted away.

"Roger, I don't need comforting." His eyes shot open and he stopped leaning against the wall. "I need to know where you are!"

"What do you mean 'where I am?" Roger took a step forward, taking Marks tone as a dare. "I'm trying so fuckin hard to be in two places at once."

"That's just it Roger! Being in two places at once is physically impossible. You find one spot that you're comfortable with and you stay there. Why do you think I still live in this cold and dirty loft! The view?" Mark fell back against the wall and to his knees.

Roger retraced his step, looking at Mark. "I don't know what to do Mark. I'm sorry."

Mark looked at Roger, wiping the single tear from his eye. "I love you."

Roger knelt down beside Mark, this time putting his hand on Marks shoulder. "I love you to Mark."

"But you love Mimi too, right?"

Roger lowered his hand and his eyes to the floor. "I think so." He looked back up at Mark, just as new tears started rolling past his glasses. He put his hands on the sides of Marks face. "But I can't lose you Mark."

"Depends on what you mean by lose. She is your girlfriend. I'm just your friend."

"You're my brother." Roger leaned in and kissed Mark passionately.

When he pulled away, Mark readjusted his glasses on his nose. "You know, I never had brothers, but I really don't think that that's how brothers act."

"I have a brother, and that's not what we did."

Mark and Rogers eyes both shot to the door to see who had said that. Roger stood up quickly, and Mark lowered his head to his lap.

"What the fuck is this Roger?"

Roger bit his lip. "It's just-"

Mimi put her hands on her hips. "I wasn't really asking Roger. I saw."

"But we-"

"Are you really gonna try to make an excuse for something I saw you do?"

Mark lifted his head, trying to help. "Mimi, it was-"

She glared at him. "You shut the fuck up Mark." She looked back to Roger and then past him, to his room. She stormed into his room and came back only a moment later, holding a pair of handcuffs in her hand. "Can't do the handcuff dance without these huh?" She laughed and walked out of the apartment.

Mark looked up to Roger. "Well that could have been really awkward."

Roger glared at him. "I don't think this is the time for humor Mark."

"Sorry."

Roger grabbed his jacket and walked to the door, holding the knob. He didn't look at Mark while he spoke. "I just have to… I need to do this."

"Do what exactly?"

Roger didn't answer him, but walked out the door. With him gone, Mark looked around the apartment. It looked so empty. With nothing else to do, Mark put the food away and then cleaned the already spotless space. It's not like there was really anything to get out of space or make a mess with. He walked into his room and grabbed a bag from the closet, and stuffed what little clothing he had in it. Taking the other bag, he put his few belongings into it, including film and photos. He set them on the floor in the kitchen and wrote Roger a quick note before walking out pf the loft. It was too hard a thing to figure out there.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Roger walked out of the apartment and ran to catch up with Mimi. He grabbed her arm and turned her around, only to be slapped in the face. "Fine, I had that coming, but that doesn't mean that we're not going to talk about it."

Mimi put her hands on her hips. "What do you want to talk about Roger? That you were just making out with a guy? The fact that you cheated on me? With a friend? A guy friend? Are you gay Roger? Cause telling me that before we started going out would have been nice."

"I'm not gay Mimi. It's not because he's a guy. That has absolutely nothing to do with it. It's because he's Mark."

"I feel better now, thanks."

"I'm sorry. And I'm sorry you found out like that. It's a horrible way to…"

"You know Roger, I'll save you the time. I want nothing to do with you for now. Sort your own fucking life out before you try to drag others into it. We're over." Mimi turned toward the Cat Scratch, leaving Roger standing on the street, part of his heart empty, and another part filling up.

He didn't want to go back to the loft yet. He wasn't quite ready to face Mark just yet. He was pretty sure he would be pissed, and Roger was not ready to face him just yet.

He walked down the street, not really sure where he was going, but somehow he ended up at Collins and Angel's. He stood outside the door for a minute before knocking.

Angel answered the door, dressed in a fuzzy pink robe and matching slippers. Her hair and face were all wet, so she must have just gotten out of the shower. "Sorry. Is this a bad time?"

She shook her head. "Not at all Roger. What's up?" She opened the door inviting him in.

Roger walked in and turned to Angel. "Just so you know, I blame this all on you."

Angel sat down on the couch, using another towel to dry her hair. "What are you blaming on me exactly?"

"Everything!" He flopped down onto the couch opposite Angel. "Mimi dumped me because she caught me making out with Mark, and Mark's pissed with me over something or other. And nothing at all makes sense."

"I'm sorry honey, but I've been telling you for three months to choose one or the other, sort out your reasons and priorities, and live with the choice. And you kept putting it off and off. I told you that this would happen."

"I know! But I'm not ready for it to happen yet! I don't know what to do yet! And Mimi wants nothing to do with me, so I'm pretty much screwed."

Angel crossed her legs and looked at him. "Can I ask you something? And you won't be offended?"

"……Sure?"

"Was it Mimi you were holding onto? Or the fact that she was your tie to being labeled as straight?"

Roger sat up and looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, you just always made it very clear that you were _not_ gay. That it was Mark, and not his body that turned you on. It just seems like you held onto Mimi because without her, the main relationship in your life would be with a guy, and that that would make you gay." Angel sat back, happy with her explanation. "I know that you love Mimi, but I just don't think you love her in the same way you once did."

Roger looked at Angel. He wanted to be mad at her, but too much of him was telling him that she was right. "So you think I just need to be gay?"

"Honey! That was just a theory. You need to figure this out on your own." She got up and walked into her room to get dressed, leaving Roger alone to find his way out.


	4. where are you going?

This chapter is dedicated to Zam, because she is persistent and annoying, and if she doesn't finally review the story she's been forcing me to write, then I am abandoning her from my cyber life! And I want people to know, I only write when something comes to me, so ya, this chapter was forced out of my very small brain… sorry if it doesn't meat expectations… 

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Angel walked into her room, closing the door behind her. She looked at Mark, who was sitting on her bed, crossed leg and fiddling with his camera. He looked up at her with sadness in his eyes, biting his lower lip. She cocked her head sympathetically to the side and smiled at him. "He's gone. You can go back out now."

Mark flung his legs over the side, but made no motion to actually get up. He looked to Angel with an obviously forced smile. "What did he say?"

Angel dropped her hands to her hips. "Go make tea or what ever it is that you drink, I'm gonna get dressed, and then we'll talk, okay?"

"Fine." Mark seemed to bounce off the bed and too the door, taking his camera with him. He walked back out to the kitchen and put water in a pot to boil, taking out cups and tea bags, setting them out as he waited for the water.

By the time the tea was done, Angel came out in a pink mini shirt, a blue shirt with pink flowers on it, matching tights, pink platforms, and her signature black bob wig. She sat at a stool by the counter and rested her head on her fist, smiling at Mark.

Mark gave her an odd look as he poured the tea. "What?"

She lifted her head back up and her voice went sing songy. "He loves you!"

Mark bit his lip. "I know that, but that's not really the thing in question at the moment."

"I know babe, but I do think he's really trying to sort this out on his own. I can't be easy for him."

"Ohh and it's _sooo_ easy for me." He rolled his eyes and pushed a cup of tea at her. "He's not really the only one in this little triangle here!"

"That's not what I meant. I just meant that you want him, Mimi wants him, and he doesn't know what he wants. He's the one with the choice to make."

"Did he say that?"

"Well, Mimi pretty much broke up with him on spot, so I think he just has to come to term with this change in his life." Angel glanced over at the bag and box that Mark had brought with him.

Mark followed her glance. "Ya, umm… How long do you think that'll take?"

"Knowing Roger? I don't have a friggan clue… A week?" She looked back to Mark and nodded to the bag she had been wondering about. "You're not going back to the loft just yet are you?"

Mark blushed a bit and shrugged. "I don't think so. I need to wait for him to be ready. I think me being there will just make it harder."

Angel nodded. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere he won't look for me." He pulled a phone number out of his pocket and handed it to Angel. "Here's the number where I'll be. Don't give it out though ok? I'm not really in the mood to be bothered."

Angel put the number in a jar above the fridge and nodded at Mark. "So it's an in case of emergency thing?"

"Pretty much. Happy to talk to you anytime though." He hugged Angel, who returned it. "You really have been a huge help through this you know?"

"Ohh I know." Angel laughed softly and pulled away from Mark. "You should get going. Is it asking too much for you to call me when you get there?" She raised an eyebrow at him."

"Anything for you Ange." He gave her another quick hug before grabbing his bag and box and leaving her apartment.

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

Roger went to some nameless bar for an hour or so, trying to sort everything out that was going on in his incredibly and now slightly intoxicated brain. It's not like he really had a choice to make. Mimi had ended it with him. He could help but smile thinking about it… but then he mentally hit himself. He shouldn't be happy that his girlfriend broke up with him, and now pretty much hated him. But it did make it easier to chose. But did that mean that he was only choosing Mark out of convince since he was the only one left to choose... … … No. Not at all. He did want to be with Mark. Mark was his best friend, his brother. Mark was his everything. Easy as that.

Roger took the last sip of his beer and ran a quickly as he could from the bar back to the loft. He slammed open the door and called loudly through out the loft. "Mark! Where are you?" He ran from the kitchen to Marks room, and even checked the bathroom for Mark, and when he didn't see him anywhere in there, he just stood in the kitchen, scratching his head. Where the hell could he be? It was close to two in the morning. He looked to the table, and suddenly saw a note that was sitting there. He ran to pick it up and read it quickly.

Rog,

Don't look for me until you have your life sorted out. Angel knows how to reach me, but don't call me until you know that that's what you really want.

Mark

Roger just looked at the note for a minute, dumb founded. Mark left? Mark –never- left. Where the hell would he go? Well if Angel knew, that was where Roger would start. He pocketed the note and ran back out of the loft and to Angels.

He would have knocked, but it was two in the morning, so he just used the key that Collins had given them and walked in and into the bedroom. Angel and Collins were sleeping, and they almost looked to peaceful to wake up.

Roger just crouched down by the bed and blew into Angels face. Her head slammed back, into Collins head and they both sat up, Collins with a hand over his nose and Angel with one rubbing the back of her head. Angel saw Roger and screamed, not knowing it was him, since the room was so dark.

"Angel, it's me, shut up."

Collins grumbled. "Roger? What time is it?" He looked at the clock on the night stand. "It's two in the morning Roger! What the hell are you doing here!"

Roger just glared at Angel, who sunk back against Collins. "Where-is-Mark?"

Collins looked from Roger, ready to spit fire, to Angel, trying to hide in a way. "Mark's gone?"

Angel slid out of bed and pulled on a shirt over her flannel bottoms. And crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not allowed to tell you where he is."

Roger pulled the note out of his pocket. "Yes you are! Once I wanna be with him, you can tell me! And I do."

Collins looked between them again. "You're with Mark?"

Angel ignored him. "Really? And this isn't just because Mimi broke up with you?"

"Mimi broke up with you? Why do I not know any of this!"

"Ya. I wanna be with him. I need to." Rogers shoulders fell and his eyes dropped a bit.

Angel couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "I don't actually know where he is. He just left me a number, and said he was going somewhere you wouldn't think to look." She left the bedroom and went into the kitchen, closely followed by Roger, and Collins, who was still as confused as hell. She got the jar down and took out the number, but didn't give it to Roger. "Are you sure? Cause if you change your mind and break his heart, I will kill you." She smiled at him, but not a big enough smile for him to take what she had said as a joke.

"I'm sure Angel." She handed him the number, and he just looked at it trying to figure out where the area code was from.

Colling joined him and looked over his shoulder, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "What the fuck!" He started laughing. "He would –never-."

"What? He would never what? Where did he go?"

Collins grabbed his address book from the counter and flicked it open, to the correct page, cause Collins is just that cool. He took the number from Roger and compared it with the one in his book before looking back to Roger with a smug smile. "Wow. Kids got guts."

"Where did he go Collins!" Roger was getting pissed at this point.

Collins handed Roger the address book and number. "Scarsdale."

Rogers jaw dropped. "No way! He wouldn't!"

"If that number is right, he did."

"Well… That's only an hour away. I could get there."

"How? You don't have a car."

"I'll take the bus, or something."

"It's two thirty in the morning. I doubt there is one going out at this time."

"Then I'll go first thing in the morning." Roger looked at Collins with sadness in his eyes. "I have to Collins."

He put a comforting hand on his friends shoulder. "I know you do. But for now, you need to sleep. We'll see when the first bus is going out in the morning. Go sleep on the couch or something." He pushed Roger softly to the living room.

Roger nodded his head softly. "Ya. Okay…" He took off his jacket and sat on the couch. "Sure." He rested his head on his folded up jacket and faced the back of the couch, closing his eyes. He would get up in a few hours, get a seat on the bus, go to Scarsdale, find Mark, and tell him he had to come home. Easy as that. He let his brain shut off and felt him self fall into that deep sleep.


	5. Everything

TO Rena Lupin, cause demands really do work… This was actually part of the last chapter, but it came out like word vomit, so I had to separate them… They didn't flow right… And since I haven't put up a disclaimer on this in awhile, I don't own these characters, it's all JL genius… 

Mark sat on his moms couch with his head back against the sage green wall behind it. This was a mistake. He tried to drown out the sounds of his mom chattering about her boy coming home and starting a good life for himself. No matter how many times he told her he was just visiting for a few days, she kept making it sound like he was here to study business and raise a good Jewish family. He had a baby girl sitting on his lap, attempting to either get it to spot crying or stop chewing on his scarf while Cindy changed the other one.

He was starting to get their names down at this point, but he wasn't sure if he was holding Katie or Kayla at the moment, since they were twins. But he had Brian, the oldest one with the red hair, Megan, the one just a bit younger than Brian, with blonde hair, and Jamie, whose hair was pretty much the same as Marks. Now true, buy hair style and color was probably now the best way to remember who all your nieces and nephews are, but at the moment, it was all he could think of at the moment besides taking a sharpie and writing their names on them.

Once again, he pulled the fringe of his scarf out of the gagging girls' mouth. He stood up and set the girl on his hip, attempting to bounce her the way he had watched his sister to it, but it just made her yell more.

Brian looked up from where he was playing his Nintendo and walked over to Mark. "Uncle Mark. You're really not that good with kids. Why don't you let me take her?" He held up his arms.

Mark looked at the kid oddly. Okay, maybe kid wasn't the best word. He was easily fourteen years old, but Mark would forever see all his sisters children as whiny little kids. "Thanks." He handed the baby to Brian, and he began rubbing his finger in her mouth. "What are you doing!"

Brian looked up at his uncle as if he was stupid. "She's teething. Rubbing her gums or letting her chew on something helps with the pain."

Mark did feel stupid now. "Ohh. Okay." He left the boy to take care of his sister and walked into the kitchen, where his mom was making pie, or cake, or maybe both at once. She smiled as her son sat at the table, and without asking, he instantly had cake in front of him. He pushed it aside. "I'm not really that hungry right now mom."

"Ohh, but it's good. I made it for you! You don't eat enough for a growing boy."

"I'm not a growing boy mom, I'm a grown man." Well, he used the term 'man' loosely, but still, it was better than 'boy'.

She did the most resented thing a mom can do. She pinched his cheek. "But you'll always be my boy." He rolled his eyes and shook her hand away as she went back to pealing apples. "Your father will be home in an hour. I'll have dinner done soon, and then we'll pretty much have the night for catching up, making plans, what have you."

"You know I'm only staying for a few days right mom? I have to go home eventually."

"Well, for now, this is home." She turned around, facing him, but still looking down at the apple she was peeling. "You know, maybe you should stay here for awhile. Get a job and save up some money. Enough to at least fix up that answering machine we got you. You never seem to get my messages."

"Mom I…"

"Maybe you'll even meet a nice girl! It's such a pity what happened with that Maureen." She looked up at her son with a smile. "She doesn't know what she's missing now does she?"

"She's not…"

"You don't need to tell me about it honey. It's a life style thing, I know. I was reading this article in the newspaper that said that gays and lesbians are…"

Mark finally cut her off. "You know mom, this really isn't a good time. I've got a lot of… stuff going on in my head at the moment, and I need to just think for a little while. Can we talk later?"

Her happy, cheerful, oblivious voice never wavered. "Of course dear! We'll have plenty of time to talk later."

He got up and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks mom. I'm gonna go, sleep or something."

"Alright dear." She just went on with her cooking.

Mark walked up to his old room, and saw his sister in there with the twins. She looked up to him apologetically. "Sorry Mark, but this is the only quiet place where I could put them down for a nap."

Mark swallowed a sigh and smiled at his sister. "No big deal. I'll go outside or something." He turned to walk away, but walked back to his room, leaning into the door frame and pointing to one of the sleeping babies. "Is that one Katie?"

Cindy looked down for a moment, then back up to Mark. "Ya, why?"

"Just wondering. Her hair is a bit darker than Kayla's." With that established, he walked outside and sat on the swing on the porch. He had too much running through his head to deal with his family at the moment. This was definitely not the best idea he ever had, coming here. His mind drifter to where Roger was, or really, what he was thinking. Chances are, he was flipping out by now, with only a vague note as a guide. But Mark couldn't think of anything else to do. He needed Roger to have the time and space to really think about what he wanted, and Mark would only get in the way of it.

Mark was pulled out of his thoughts by a bus stopping in front of his childhood house. He stood up, already thinking of who was going to step off the bus, and braced his arms on the railing as Roger stepped off. Roger didn't see him at first, but looked at the green and blue house and laughed. After recovering from his fit of hysteria, he looked from the address written on his hand, to the number on the front of the house. Only after pulling his leather jacket back on and running his hand through his hair to brush it out of his face, did he look up and see Mark.

Roger lifted his hand in a small hi, but didn't smile. Neither did Mark. "Wow. Angel's really gotten bad at keeping secrets."

"It was Collins actually. He had this address in his book."

"Ohh." He looked down to his hands. Mark wasn't expecting anyone to have this address, but, then again, Collins and Maureen were the only ones in the group to have ever come here. One of them was bound to have the address. He looked back up to see Roger looking at him, and walking closer to the porch. "What?"

"What do you mean what? What reason would possibly drive me to come to Scarsdale!" He smiled, attempting to show Mark how out of his way this was.

Mark shook his head. "It's only been two days. You can't know. Not this soon."

Roger climbed the steps of the porch and stood in front of Mark, who was now in front of the door, with his hand around the knob. "Ohh come on Mark. It's not like it's much of a contest. I told you." He took Mark hand. "You're my everything."

Mark opened the door behind him. "And as of last Christmas, so was Mimi." He pulled his hand back and went back into the house. He didn't know why this was so hard for him. He had loved Roger for so long, and if Roger loved him too, he was afraid that Roger would fall out of love with him. The way he did with everyone else that he loved. He closed the door behind him, leaving Roger on the porch.

He took his hand from the door and continued into the house, walking to the living room and sinking down onto the couch, taking off his glasses and letting his head fall back.

Okay, now we all know that Roger is not one to just take things in stride. He had thought long and hard about this. He knew that he made the right decision, and he wanted to with Mark, for always… And Mark had just shut the door in his face. Well, Roger, being who he is, opened the door anyway and walked in, walking down the first hall, and seeing Mark sitting on the couch in the room at the end of it. He stood there, just looking at Mark.

Well, with his glasses off, Mar couldn't see him, so it wasn't until Megan grabbed his arm and whispered to him. "Uncle Mark? There's stranger in the house looking at you."

Mark quickly put his glasses and stood back up. "Roger! You can't just come into other peoples houses uninvited!" He put his arm on the little girls back, who was still holding his arm protectively. "It's okay Megan. He's a… Friend."

Roger smiled uncomfortably at the girl, and then glared again at Mark. "Well, maybe if you didn't go running of when things got tough, I wouldn't have to barge in!"

"Are you really gonna pep talk be about running off?" The girl finally let go of Mark and ran to get her grandmother. "How's Santa Fe this time of year Roger!"

Roger's arms dropped to his side. "I came back."

"And what makes you think I wouldn't have!"

The two boys were now standing feet apart, glaring at each other, when Marks mom walked in with Megan on her heels. "Umm, Mark, who is this?"

It took a moment for Mark to tare his gaze away from Roger and to his mother. "My room mate, Roger."

"Ohh, that's nice. Is he staying for dinner?"

"I don't think so mom. I think he was just leaving actually."

Roger shook his head. "I'm not leaving until you come with me."

"I can't yet Roger. You need space." He went to move past Roger and to his mothers side, but Roger turned to him and shoved him into the wall, holding him there.

Marks mom let out a gasp and the little girl buried her face in her grandmas skirt. "Let go of my son right this minute!"

Mark looked at his mom as he struggled against Rogers grasp at the wall. "I'm fine mom, really. Just take Megan into the kitchen. I'll be right there." She gave Roger the dirtiest glare ever, but scooted Megan into the kitchen, and followed after her.

Mark continued to struggle. His arms were pinned to the wall above him by one of Rogers hands, and his other hand was against Marks chest, holding him still. Their faces were about a half a foot apart when Roger growled at him. "Is this enough friggan space Mark?"

Mark was still struggling. "What do you think Roger?"

Roger leaned to him, pressing their bodies together. Mark whined and shifted his hips, attempting to get Roger off him, but Roger just smiled. He liked seeing Mark struggle. He grinded his hips into Marks, causing the smaller boy to bite his lip. "How 'bout that much space Mark?" His tone was just taunting him now.

Mark looked at him with hatred in his eyes. "You're a bastard Roger."

Roger just smirked at this. "It's why you love me right?"

Mark tilted his head to the side. "Roger. You need to stop and think about this. If you pick me and then see Mimi and change your mind, you're gonna kill me. And I can't take it."

"Don't want Mimi." Roger kissed Mark softly on the cheek. "Only you Mark." Another soft kiss on his other cheek. "You're my everything." He kissed Mark again, this time on the lips, very softly, and let Marks arms fall from where they were pinned. He wrapped his arms around the blonde boys' waist and pulled him off the wall.

Mark lifted his arms around Rogers's neck and pulled away from the kiss. "Are you sure?" He really didn't want to have his heart broken by his best friend, especially since he knew that even if it did happen, he would never be able to leave Roger. He would forever be stuck with the man who broke his heart. "You need to be sure."

Roger nodded his head and lifted Marks hand, locking their fingers together. "Mark. I told you. You're my everything, and I want to be with you, and only you." Marks lopsided grin finally formed as he leaned in and kissed Roger again.

They kissed for a few minutes before they quickly jumped apart by Brian clearing his throat. Mark looked quickly from Brian to Roger and back. Brian looked extremely calm for what he had just seen. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just a few seconds. Grandma sent me to make sure that the stranger with the bad hair wasn't raping Uncle Mark."

Mark laughed as Rogers hand flew up to his hair, brushing it aside again. "It looks fine Roger." He looked back to Brian. "I'm fine." He grabbed Rogers's hand and pulled him to the kitchen. "Come on."

His mother was standing in the kitchen, pulling a pie out of the oven. She looked at him, and then Roger as Brian followed them in, shrugged, and grabbed a cup cake off the counter. She set the pie aside and folded her hands in front of her. "Do you want to tell me something Marcus?"

Roger snorted with laughter. "Marcus! Ohh god!" Mark punched him in the arm, but the 'oww' was muffled out by laughter.

He looked back to his mother as Roger settled down. "Ya um, Roger and I are…" He looked to Roger for a definition of what they were. "Roger and I."

She bit her lip. "He's your boyfriend?" So no nice Jewish girl?

Mark took Rogers hand again. "He's my everything."

Okay, I think I'm done with this…. Unless anyone has a great idea on how to continue it…. 


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue! Since so many people requested it… I really wanted this to be done with, so here it is… And yes, I was listening to the NYTW when I wrote this… hence my urgent desire for the Maureen/Joanne crap… Ohh, and the song belongs to Barry White…

AVAVAVAVAVAVAVA

-TWO MONTHS LATER-

Mark and Roger sat on the couch in their loft, Mark leaning against Rogers legs. Everyone else was in the loft. Maureen and Joanne occupying the arm chair that seemed to be falling in, even without the added weight, Collins sitting on a stool with Angel sitting on the counter, and Mimi, reluctantly, sitting on the floor at Maureen's feet.

Mimi and Roger had pretty much worked out all the problems they had, and could now survive as friends, but she still had to be pushed to hang out with everyone. It seemed to be getting easier to for to see Mark and Roger together though.

Roger ran his fingers over Marks shoulders, looking out the window blankly. All was quiet in the loft, very out of the normal.

Maureen scoffed. "You know, it's gotten really boring here since you two got together."

Roger smiled at her. "That's cause when you were here you were always too occupied flirting with Mark to be bored."

This time, Joanne scoffed at Mark blushed. "Well then thank god for you Roger."

"Ohh come on Pookie! I wasn't flirting! I was being nice! Mark was so alone."

Mark rolled his eyes. "Ohh thanks Maureen. There's an ego booster."

Joanne shifted in the chair a bit. "I don't know why you bother defending yourself. It's not like you've ever been good at being discrete."

Maureen lifted herself up so that she was sitting on the arm of the chair. "What are you saying?" She didn't sound mad, more like she was pouting. "Do I have to keep telling you how much I love you?" Okay, now she was a bit mad. "I'm getting really sick of this shit Joanne."

"Well if you're so fed up with everything about me, leave!"

"Not everything." Maureen put her hand under Joanne's chin. "I adore your eyes."

Joanne's face fumed as she stood up. "Not this shit again!" She grabbed her coat and stormed out of the loft.

Maureen yelled after her. "Pookie! Come on!" She grabbed her own jacket as she made her way to the door, throwing a smile at the rest of the group. "She'll get over it." She walked out, sliding the door shut behind her.

Angel looked after them and slid off the counter and onto Collins lap, whispering something to him, making his laugh softly. Her smile got wider, and Collins blushed, nodding, before they both stood up at the same time, and grasped hands. "See you boys later."

"Ya. We have some… stuff to do." Angel giggled and waved a goodbye as they walked out the door.

"Ahh, they are as discrete as ever, huh?"

Mimi looked from her spot on the floor to Roger, to Mark, and back to Roger, before standing slowly. "You know, I'm gonna get going too. I have work in a few hours, and I should, like, get some laundry done or something."

Roger stood up and put his arms around Mimi, hugging her before she left. "I am sorry Mimi. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just…"

Mimi shook her head to silence him. "You can't help who you love Roger." She smiled at Mark, winking before turning on her heels to the door. "Have fun."

Once they were again alone in the Loft, Roger took Marks hand and pulled him up. "You know, this could have been very awkward, but it's not." Mark leaned against Rogers chest, one arm around Rogers neck, the other hand holding Rogers, in a very waltz fashion, as they swayed slightly. "Maureen and Joanne are still fighting, Angel and Collins are still, doing what they do all the time, and Mimi is still… Mimi."

"How different did you think everything was gonna be?"

"I don't know. I just didn't think everything would be exactly the same."

"It's not exactly the same." Mark tilted his chin up toward Roger, kissing him softly. They were quite prepared to ignore the phone that was now ringing, but when the answering machine picked up, both boys stopped dancing and looked to the machine.

"Mark? Are you there? Please don't tell me you're still screening your calls! I wanted to ask you if…"

Mark picked up the phone and plopped down onto couch with the phone, as Roger went into the room they now shared. "Hey mom… No I'm fine… Dancing actually… Yes with Roger. Who else would I dance with?... No, that was Joanne… She's Maureen's girlfriend… Ya, I know, she's really missing out. You said you wanted to ask me something?… I'll ask him…"

Mark cupped his hand over the phone and yelled to Roger. "Hey Rog? My mom wants to know if you want to go to her house for dinner this weekend." The idea didn't appal Mark the way it did just a few months before. His mom had been totally cool about her and Roger. Of course, she still brought up Maureen and nice Jewish girls every so often, but aside from that, she was cool.

Roger came out of their room with a vinyl record and record player, which he set on the counter. "Sure…. Wait, is Cindy gonna be there? With all the kids?"

"Why?"

Roger rolled his eyes. "Cause your sisters so hot Mark."

Mark glared at him. "It's cause you like playing with the blocks isn't it?"

Roger smiled innocently. "They have yet to build a tower taller than mine!"

Mark lifted the phone back to his ear. "Ya mom, we'll be there… Okay, I love you too… bye."

He hung up the phone and walked over to Roger, just as the record started playing. Mark laughed at the song, but took Rogers hand and pulled him to the center of the loft. "Dance with me."

Roger had not problem complying. They danced, or what dancing they could do with their tongues in each others mouths. It was mainly their hips that continued to sway with the music.

I see so many ways that I can love you  
'Till the day I die...   
You're my reality yet I'm lost in a dream  
You're the first, my last, my everything


End file.
